Single Point Links posted in August 2011

With Sept. 1st upon us and the talk from Moncton about hosting multiple Tiger-Cat games in 2013, this is a good time to note that tickets are still available for Touchdown Atlantic on Sept. 25th. Selling the last few hundred tickets will help indicate Moncton’s football interest and you will have a great time, guaranteed.

Seems yesterday’s news of a smaller stadium caused enough fans to assume Ti-Cat ticket prices are increasing that Bob Young had to commit to freezing 2012 ticket prices through 2014 in the new stadium. This won’t satisfy some, who want ticket prices driven through the floor and to stay that way. But no excuses how being in the bottom half of the league in gate receipts affects the product on the field.

There are questions of the new Winnipeg stadium is big enough in the wake of the the team’s upswing, four consecutive sellouts and the stadium taking shape. While it common for people to think you need to build for the peaks (everyone wants to have a seat), it is better to restrict the size. Creating ticket scarcity, even during the worst of times, discourages fair weathered fans. Something CFL teams didn’t see in the 1970’s and 1980’s when larger stadiums created no shortage of tickets, allowing fans to decide late whether they will go to the game, when weather and the team record become a factor. The Bombers got it right and Winnipeg better keep the demand up for tickets at 7-1 or 1-7.

Sounds more like the “we’re not interested”-interested statement. I can’t see Sportsnet not kicking the tires on CFL rights, if only to either a) take the rights away from TSN or b) drive up the price for TSN. Nice to know TSN holds an option for a sixth year in 2013, though.

The existing grade won’t allow seats with backs on the Ivor Wynne north stands, so officials have agreed to build new stands rather than renovate meaning all seating will be replaced. While there is no impact expected on the budget, there is no mention whether demolition and construction timelines will increase.

It is great that the CFL‘s model is showing such accuracy but I prefer a game that cannot be predicted by a mathematical formula. I guess the CFL has a future as a virtual league if the whole real world thing doesn’t work out. They can just tell us who won each week.

The plan includes replacing Mosaic Stadium and redeveloping the old stadium site along with lands surrounding the new stadium. Though a 10 to 15 year project, the stadium portion is expected to be complete in 2016.

Knowing it was his last chance may have contributed to Marshall’s lack of composure on the sidelines last night. This season has not been a fair evaluation of Marshall, I hope he gets another chance to step up into a head coaching position.

Commissioner Mark Cohon speaks on a variety of topics, including Halifax, Moncton, Quebec City, Ottawa and southern Ontario. With Bob McCown’s help, he even acknowledges the competition brewing between Sportsnet and TSN for the next CFL television deal.

I remember Bernie Custis being mentioned in an article about the history of the African-American quarterback but I had no idea he was still alive and living in Canada.

As for the shots at the CFL and Canada for not recognizing Custis, there is penchant for celebrating first achievements, especially those involving colour barriers, that occurred in Canada to boost our collective ego. Custis’ achievement should be honoured and held as an example to others who face the obstacles of prejudice and oppression. That it took until the 1950’s for Custis to break the QB colour barrier and he was treated as he was is not a time to be proud of for our country. Why did it take so long? Who stood up for the rights of all players? Sure, a different time, but our country is not as wonderful as we like to believe on the issue of civil rights.

Thank you, Bernie Custis, for your example and bravery in the face of prejudice and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Steve Milton for teaching Canadians about this piece of history. For the rest of us it is a time to examine our own stereotypes and bigotries that we hold and choose to examine people by what they do, not by their race or colour of skin.

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